Yes, eco-friendly bashes are possible

Katie BreckheimerECO

Published: Friday, June 14, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, June 13, 2013 at 5:50 p.m.

The new Rhythm & Brews (R&B) concert organizers are setting the bar pretty high for future events in Hendersonville. On the third Thursday of every month throughout the summer, they are hosting concerts that will generate very little waste.

The Environmental and Conservation Organization (ECO) got involved when we heard about their eco-friendly intentions. We agree that throwing a party on the back of the environment is not OK. Disposable single-use plates, utensils and beverage containers are the norm for outdoor parties, but the R&B concerts are showing us a different way.

Why did the organizers pay extra to hire Danny Keaton, owner of Danny’s Dumpster, to handle their waste stream (unwanted resources)? It was because one of their sponsors said, “Low-waste events are important.” The organizers won’t say who pressed for the eco-friendly events.

According to his web site, dannysdumpster.com, back in 2007, Keaton started hauling trash and recycling for the residents of Madison County with a laid back motto: “Danny’s Dumpster — You Make It, We Take It.” But when North Carolina passed legislation in 2008 requiring businesses with alcoholic beverage permits to recycle their containers, he soon realized the future lay in responsible disposal, not mass disposal.

Composting makes Danny’s, an Asheville-based company, different from other waste handlers. He operates a large-scale commercial composting facility permitted by the state.

Most people don’t understand that very little decomposition happens in a modern-day landfill. I often refer to it as putting our waste in a giant zip-lock bag! Landfill construction requirements protect us from groundwater contamination and air pollution, but they also restrict the amount of air and water that gets to the waste, so the microorganisms (decomposers) can’t do their work. Even though we think we’re doing a good thing by buying compostable containers, unless they end up in a commercial composter (or a hot and fast home composter), they won’t break down.

At the R&B events, ECO volunteers will stand at some of the waste stations to help people understand the sorting. Here’s the drill: Unwanted food, paper products and compostable cups (the only kind sold at the event) go in the can with the green liner. All of the recycling goes in the can with the clear liner, and the small amount that’s left over goes to the landfill (third can, black liner).

The waste stations have signs on them, so the ECO volunteers don’t really have to stand there, but it’s an educational opportunity to talk to people who are not used to this kind of sorting.

At the May R&B concert, as I stood pointing out the proper cans, I talked to Danny about my home composting, where I failed to get those compostable cups to break down. Danny told me the plant-based cups, which look amazingly like plastic, need the proper conditions to decompose. They quickly break down in his commercial composter, taking three days at 160 degrees. My cold and slow home composting method just doesn’t work on these cups.

Plant-based compostable plastics have been causing havoc in the recycling stream because their makeup is very different from petroleum-based plastics. N.C. House Bill 315, introduced by Rep. Chuck McGrady, requires degradable plastic products to be clearly labeled to prevent contamination of plastic recycling feedstocks. This recent bill is a good first step and points out the need for better labeling on all packaging so consumers can understand what to do. And, as always, more education is needed to promote recycling.

Why should we care about composting? It’s because the 33 million tons of food Americans waste every year is a crime. The EPA estimates that by weight, food is more than 14 percent of our total disposal.

I recently asked a produce worker at local grocery store where all of the unsellable fresh food goes, hoping he would say Manna Food Bank or the Mission, or at least to a hog farmer. Unfortunately, he said that they tried, but people obtained the food to sell at flea markets, so now they put it in the dumpster with the trash.

Our community has come a long way in waste reduction, but we still divert less than 20 percent. Not long ago, ECO asked the city of Hendersonville to require recycling at all street festivals, but the permits were never changed to reflect our request. Instead, the city opted to purchase permanent recycling bins for Main Street, and for that ECO says thank you.

We also remember a day when the Apple Festival, our largest street party, produced a staggering amount of waste over three days. Now, thanks to hardworking advocates and good leadership, the Apple Festival is not only recycling, it’s experimenting with a new composting system in 2013.

So look for me at all of the R&B concerts this summer as I’ll be manning a waste station. Come by and say hello. Also, please help keep ECO strong by donating and/or becoming a member. You can reach ECO at 828-692-0385 and www.eco-wnc.org.

For local recycling questions, contact Megan Piner, the county’s recycling expert, at 694-6524 or go to www.hendersoncountync.org/engineering/solidwaste/recyclingindex.html.

<p>The new Rhythm & Brews (R&B) concert organizers are setting the bar pretty high for future events in Hendersonville. On the third Thursday of every month throughout the summer, they are hosting concerts that will generate very little waste.</p><p>The Environmental and Conservation Organization (ECO) got involved when we heard about their eco-friendly intentions. We agree that throwing a party on the back of the environment is not OK. Disposable single-use plates, utensils and beverage containers are the norm for outdoor parties, but the R&B concerts are showing us a different way.</p><p>Why did the organizers pay extra to hire Danny Keaton, owner of Danny's Dumpster, to handle their waste stream (unwanted resources)? It was because one of their sponsors said, “Low-waste events are important.” The organizers won't say who pressed for the eco-friendly events.</p><p>According to his web site, dannysdumpster.com, back in 2007, Keaton started hauling trash and recycling for the residents of Madison County with a laid back motto: “Danny's Dumpster — You Make It, We Take It.” But when North Carolina passed legislation in 2008 requiring businesses with alcoholic beverage permits to recycle their containers, he soon realized the future lay in responsible disposal, not mass disposal.</p><p>Composting makes Danny's, an Asheville-based company, different from other waste handlers. He operates a large-scale commercial composting facility permitted by the state.</p><p>Most people don't understand that very little decomposition happens in a modern-day landfill. I often refer to it as putting our waste in a giant zip-lock bag! Landfill construction requirements protect us from groundwater contamination and air pollution, but they also restrict the amount of air and water that gets to the waste, so the microorganisms (decomposers) can't do their work. Even though we think we're doing a good thing by buying compostable containers, unless they end up in a commercial composter (or a hot and fast home composter), they won't break down.</p><p>At the R&B events, ECO volunteers will stand at some of the waste stations to help people understand the sorting. Here's the drill: Unwanted food, paper products and compostable cups (the only kind sold at the event) go in the can with the green liner. All of the recycling goes in the can with the clear liner, and the small amount that's left over goes to the landfill (third can, black liner).</p><p>The waste stations have signs on them, so the ECO volunteers don't really have to stand there, but it's an educational opportunity to talk to people who are not used to this kind of sorting.</p><p>At the May R&B concert, as I stood pointing out the proper cans, I talked to Danny about my home composting, where I failed to get those compostable cups to break down. Danny told me the plant-based cups, which look amazingly like plastic, need the proper conditions to decompose. They quickly break down in his commercial composter, taking three days at 160 degrees. My cold and slow home composting method just doesn't work on these cups.</p><p>Plant-based compostable plastics have been causing havoc in the recycling stream because their makeup is very different from petroleum-based plastics. N.C. House Bill 315, introduced by Rep. Chuck McGrady, requires degradable plastic products to be clearly labeled to prevent contamination of plastic recycling feedstocks. This recent bill is a good first step and points out the need for better labeling on all packaging so consumers can understand what to do. And, as always, more education is needed to promote recycling.</p><p>Why should we care about composting? It's because the 33 million tons of food Americans waste every year is a crime. The EPA estimates that by weight, food is more than 14 percent of our total disposal.</p><p>I recently asked a produce worker at local grocery store where all of the unsellable fresh food goes, hoping he would say Manna Food Bank or the Mission, or at least to a hog farmer. Unfortunately, he said that they tried, but people obtained the food to sell at flea markets, so now they put it in the dumpster with the trash.</p><p>Our community has come a long way in waste reduction, but we still divert less than 20 percent. Not long ago, ECO asked the city of Hendersonville to require recycling at all street festivals, but the permits were never changed to reflect our request. Instead, the city opted to purchase permanent recycling bins for Main Street, and for that ECO says thank you.</p><p>We also remember a day when the Apple Festival, our largest street party, produced a staggering amount of waste over three days. Now, thanks to hardworking advocates and good leadership, the Apple Festival is not only recycling, it's experimenting with a new composting system in 2013.</p><p>So look for me at all of the R&B concerts this summer as I'll be manning a waste station. Come by and say hello. Also, please help keep ECO strong by donating and/or becoming a member. You can reach ECO at 828-692-0385 and www.eco-wnc.org.</p><p>For local recycling questions, contact Megan Piner, the county's recycling expert, at 694-6524 or go to www.hendersoncountync.org/engineering/solidwaste/recyclingindex.html.</p>